Different types of central tendency

Arithmetic mean
Arithmetic mean of a set of data is found by taking the sum of the data, and then dividing the
sum by the total number of values in the set. A mean is commonly referred to as an average.
Formula

Advantage
 It is rigidly defined.
 It is easy to calculate and simple to follow.
 It is based on all the abservations.
Limitions
 The arithmetic mean is highly affected by extreme values.
 It cannot average the ratios and percentages properly.
 It is not an appropriate average for highly skewed distributions.
 It cannot be computed accurately if any item is missing.
Example
Example 1: Find the mean driving speed for 6 different cars on the same highway.

66 mph, 57 mph, 71 mph, 54 mph, 69 mph, 58 mph

Solution: 66 + 57 + 71 + 54 + 69 + 58 = 375

The mean driving speed is 62.5 mph.

Median
The median is a simple measure of central tendency. To find the median, we arrange the
observations in order from smallest to largest value. If there is an odd number of observations,
the median is the middle value. If there is an even number of observations, the median is the
average of the two middle values.

Formula

There is formula to find the median using grouped data.

Advantage
 Median can be calculated in all distributions.
 Median can be understood even by common people.
 Median can be ascertained even with the extreme items.
 It can be located graphically.
 It is most useful dealing with qualitative data.
Limitions
 It is not based on all the values.
 It is not capable of further mathematical treatment.
 It is affected fluctuation of sampling.
 In case of even no. of values it may not the value from the data.
Example
Imagine that a top running athlete in a typical 200-metre training session runs in the following
times:
26.1, 25.6, 25.7, 25.2, 25.0 seconds.
How would you calculate his median time?
First, the values are put in ascending order: 25.0, 25.2, 25.6, 25.7, 26.1. Then, using the
following formula, figure out which value is the middle value. Remember that n represents the
number of values in the data set.
Median = {(n + 1) ÷ 2} value
= (5 + 1) ÷ 2
=3
The third value in the data set will be the median. Since 25.6 is the third value, 25.6 seconds
would be the median time.

Mode
The number which appears most often in a set of numbers.
Example: in {6, 3, 9, 6, 6, 5, 9, and 3} the Mode is 6 (it occurs most often).
Formula

Where:
i is the class width
1Δ is the difference between the frequency of class mode and the frequency of the class before
the class mode.
2Δ is the difference between the frequency of class mode and the frequency of the class after
the class mode.
Lmo is the lower boundary of class mode.
Advantage
 Mode is readily comprehensible and easily calculated.
 It is the best representative of data.
 It is not at all affected by extreme value.
 The value of mode can also be determined graphically.
 It is usually an actual value of an important part of the series.
Limitions
 It is not based on all observations.
 It is not capable of further mathematical manipulation.
 Mode is affected to a great extent by sampling fluctuations.
 Choice of grouping has great influence on the value of mode.
Example
The number of points scored in a series of football games is listed below. Which score occurred
most often?
7, 13, 18, 24, 9, 3, 18
Solution: Ordering the scores from least to greatest, we get:
3, 7, 9, 13, 18, 18, 24
The score which occurs most often is 18.

Geometric mean
The geometric mean is a type of average, usually used for growth rates, like population growth
or interest rates. While the arithmetic mean adds items, the geometric mean multiplies items.
Also, you can only get the geometric mean for positive numbers.
Formula

Advantage
 It is rigidly defined.
 It is based upon all the observations.
 It is suitable for further mathematical treatment.
 It is not affected much by fluctuations of samplings.
 It gives comparatively more weight to small items.
Limitions
 Because of its abstract mathematical character, geometric mean is not easy to understand
and to calculate for non-mathematics person.
 If any one of the observations is negative, geometric mean becomes imaginary regardless
of the magnitude of the other items.
Example
Find the geometric mean of 4, 9.
Given xi = 4, 9
Here, n = 2
Geometric mean formula for two numbers is
=6

Hence Geometric mean of two numbers (4, 9) is 6.

Harmonic mean
Harmonic Mean is also a mathematical average but is limited in its application. It is generally
used to find average of variables that are expressed as a ratio of two different measuring units e.
g. speed is measured in km/hr or miles/sec etc.
Formula

Advantage
 It is based on all observations.
 It not much affected by the fluctuation of sampling.
 It is capable of algebraic treatment.
 It is an appropriate average for averaging ratios and rates.
 It does not give much weight to the large items
Limitions
 Its calculation is difficult.
 It gives high weight-age to the small items.
 It cannot be calculated if any one of the items is zero.
 It is usually a value which does not exist in the given data.
Example
To find the Harmonic Mean of 1, 2,3,4,5.
Step 1:
Calculate the total number of values.
N=5
Step 2:
Now find Harmonic Mean using the above formula.
N/ (1/a1+1/a2+1/a3+1/a4+.......+1/aN)
= 5/(1/1+1/2+1/3+1/4+1/5)
= 5/(1+0.5+0.33+0.25+0.2)
= 5/2.28
So, Harmonic Mean = 2.19.

Percentile
A percentile is a comparison score between a particular score and the scores of the rest of a
group. It shows the percentage of scores that a particular score surpassed. For example, if you
score points on a test, and are ranked in the 85 Th percentile, it means that the score 75 is higher
than 85 % of the scores.
Formula
R = P 100 (N)
Advantage
 They are easy to determine especially in case of the individual and discrete series.
 They do not need all the data relating to a series like the mathematical averages viz.
AM… G.M. and H.M.
 They are not affected very much by the extreme values of a series.
 They can be located both graphically and tabularly.
 They are useful in the computation of the measures of dispersion and skewness.
Limitions
 These averages are not easily understood by a common man.
 The determination of their values in case of continuous series becomes cumbersome as it
involves application of the formula of interpolation.
 They are not based on all the observations of a series.
 They need the rearrangement of series in the ascending order if given otherwise.
 They are not capable of further algebraic treatment except in the computation of quartile
deviation and coefficient of skewness.
 They are affected very much by fluctuatin of sampling.
  They are influenced much by the number of items rather than their values.
Example
Determine the 35 Th percentile of the scores 7,3,12,15,14, 4 and 20.
Arrange the numbers in ascending order and give the rank ranging from 1 to the lowest to 7 to
the highest.
Number 3 4 7 12 14 15 20 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use the formula:
R = 35 100 (7)           = 2.45
The integer part of R is 2, calculate the score corresponding to the ranks 2 and 3. They are 4 and
7. The product of the difference and the decimal part is 0.45 (7 − 4) = 1.35.
Therefore, the 35 Th percentile is 2 + 1.35 = 3.35.

Quartile
The values that divide a list of numbers into quarters.
In {2, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8}:
· Quartile 1 (Q1) = 4.
· Quartile 2 (Q2), which is also the Median, = 5.
· Quartile 3 (Q3) = 7.
Formula

Advantage
 They are easy to determine especially in case of the individual and discrete series.
 They do not need all the data relating to a series like the mathematical averages viz.
AM… G.M. and H.M.
 They can be directly determined in case of an open end series without locating the lower
limit of the lowest class, and the upper limit of the highest class.
 They are useful in the computation of the measures of dispersion and skewness.
 They give an idea about the character of a frequency distribution i.e. whether a series is
symmetric, or asymmetric can be known by measuring their distance from the Median.
 They are not affected very much by the extreme values of a series.
 They can be located both graphically and tabularly.
Limitions
 These averages are not easily understood by a common man.
 The determination of their values in case of continuous series becomes cumbersome as it
involves application of the formula of interpolation.
 They are not based on all the observations of a series.
 They need the rearrangement of series in the ascending order if given otherwise.
 They do not study the entire data. For example, Q1, studies only, first 25%, Q2 only first
50%, and Q3 only first 75% of the data.
 They are not capable of further algebraic treatment except in the computation of quartile
deviation and coefficient of skewness.
 They are affected very much by fluctuatin of sampling.
 They are influenced much by the number of items rather than their values.
Example
Find the first and third quartiles of the set {3, 7, 8, 5, 12, 14, 21, 15, 18, 14}.
Note that here we consider the two 14's to be distinct elements and not representing the same
item; consider this like you obtained a score of 14 on two different quizzes.
First, we write the data in increasing order: 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 14, 15, 18, 21.
As before, the median is 13 (it is the mean of 12 and 14 — the pair of middle entries).
Therefore, the lower half of the data is: {3, 5, 7, 8, and 12}.
Notice that 12 is included in the lower half since it is below the median value.
Then Q1 = 7 (there are five values in the lower half, so the middle value is the median).
Similarly, the upper half of the data is: {14, 14, 15, 18, and 21}, so Q3 = 15